Shark attacks are a common fear of scuba divers. In order to prevent these attacks, divers often carry with them various shark deterrents, such as chemical repellents or spear guns. Chemical repellents are often not allowed in ecological fragile areas, and are often of only limited effectiveness.
Spear guns are quite large to carry and are often not allowed in certain dive areas. It is typically only necessary to ward off the shark rather than injure it with a device such as a spear gun. An injury resulting in a loss of blood from the shark will likely attract other sharks and would pose an additional threat to the diver. It may be sufficient to prod, bump, or strike the shark when it advances with a device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Sharks rarely attack in a straight forward manner. The most common method of shark attack is known as a “circling attack.” A circling attack is when a shark starts to circle its prey widely, and gradually reduces the diameter of the circle until the shark is close enough to “bump” its snout into the prey. This “bump” allows the shark to use its electroreceptors to identify its prey before the “test bite.” Since sharks are known to be scavengers they often are attracted to an easy prey. When sharks encounter prey that fights back, they have been known to retreat.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for a non-chemical, non-wounding device that will deter sharks and yet is easy for a diver to carry and open. This device may be used when a shark attempts to approach or “bump” a diver, acting as a deterrent and causing the shark to retreat and leave the diver in search of easier prey.